The biggest moments from Apple’s WWDC 2019

At today’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in San Jose, Apple executives announced a collection of highly-anticipated new products and software updates that will be released between now and Fall 2019. For starters, Apple revealed the new perks of iOS 13, including Dark Mode, which can be used system-wide on iPhones. Apple has also improved Face ID, which will now unlock 30 seconds faster than before.

iOS 13 will bring a swiping keyboard to iPhone users, updates to Apple Mail, Notes, and Safari, and a completely redesigned Apple Maps, which will mimic Google Maps. Another big feature that was revealed was “Sign in with Apple”, which will allow users to log into apps and services with their Apple ID, “without revealing any personal information.”

“iOS 13 brings new capabilities to the apps you use every day, with rich updates to Photos and Maps, and privacy-protecting features like Sign In with Apple, all while delivering faster performance,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “We’re excited for customers to experience what’s coming to iPhone this fall and can’t wait for them to see how great everything looks in Dark Mode.”

Apple announced the new iPadOS, which is bringing a completely new look to iPads, including Dark Mode, a redesigned home screen, and performance improvements which enable iPads to act more like computers. The Apple Pencil has also been improved to feel more like an actual pencil and will have a reduced latency as low as 9 milliseconds.

“iPad transforms how people work and express their creativity, and with iPadOS, we’re taking it even further by delivering exciting capabilities that take advantage of its large canvas and versatility,” said Federighi. “iPadOS delivers exciting features, including a new Home screen with widgets, more powerful multitasking and new tools that make using Apple Pencil even more natural.”

The Apple Watch, which will now be powered by the newest version of WatchOS, is seeing big changes as well. The Apple Watch will now feature new apps that track user health, like the Cycle Tracking app, which tracks a woman’s menstrual cycle and ovulation dates, as well as a noise pollution app. The Watch will also be getting its own separate App Store in the coming months, in an effort to make the device more independent of the iPhone.

“Apple Watch has become an indispensable part of our customers’ everyday lives, from helping users stay connected to the people and information they care about, to inspiring them to live a better and more active day,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “watchOS 6 extends our commitment to helping users better manage their health and fitness with powerful and personal new tools.”

In a mostly expected move, Apple will be killing off iTunes and replace it with three separate apps: Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and AppleTV. iTunes has been declining in popularity for years, especially with the rise of convenient music streaming services such as Apple Music and Spotify. Apple’s separate apps for music, podcasts and TV will be available on iPhones and Macs.

Apple unveiled tvOS 13, which will support the Apple TV 4K experience and provide a new home screen and multi-user support. The Apple TV 4K will also support new features like Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Xbox and PlayStation game controllers, and new screen savers.

“tvOS powers the Apple TV 4K experience and continues to set the standard for home entertainment,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Product Marketing. “With more personalised features to enjoy your favourite TV shows, movies, photos and music, expanded gaming support and stunning new screen savers, tvOS 13 delivers the most complete entertainment experience to everyone in the home.”

Perhaps one of the biggest announcements of the morning was the reveal of the new Mac Pro, which is starting at around $6,000, not including the Pro Display XDR screen. Mac laptops and desktops will also need to ditch MacOS Mojave and start using the new and improved MacOS Catalina operating system.